--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To know the brain...is equivalent to…" description: "\"To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the material course of thought and will, to discovering the intimate history of life in its perpetual..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg" --- # To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the… ![“To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the material course of thought and will, to discovering the intimate history of life in its perpetual duel with external forces.” quote by Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg) > “To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the material course of thought and will, to discovering the intimate history of life in its perpetual duel with external forces.” [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He equates understanding the brain with uncovering thought, will, and life's ongoing struggle against external forces. **In simple terms:** Knowing the brain reveals thought and life's battles. Key Takeaway Study the brain to understand mind and will. Themes neuroscience philosophy human nature Mood curious thoughtful Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - research labs - education - personal development Key Concepts brain function free will life dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What does brain study reveal about will? - How does external pressure shape thought? A Different Perspective Complexity of mind may resist simple explanations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [External forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/external-forces/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-of-life/) [Intimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimate/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [I have my hopes, & very distinct ones, too, of one day getting cerebral phenomena such that I can put them into mathematical equations:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-lovelace/i-have-my-hopes-very-distinct-ones-too-of-one-day-getting-cerebral/) [Ada Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-lovelace/) > [“Men, like planets, have both a visible and invisible history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/men-like-planets-have-both-a-visible-and-invisible-history/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The history of life is more adequately represented by a picture of 'punctuated equilibria' than by the notion of phyletic gradualism. The history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-history-of-life-is-more-adequately-represented-by-a-picture-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [And it has been the paleontologist- my own breed-who have been most responsible for letting ideas dominate reality: ...We paleontologist have said that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niles-eldredge/and-it-has-been-the-paleontologist-my-own-breed-who-have-been-most/) [Niles Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niles-eldredge/) > [ In the history of life, no good news has followed that sentence \["We have to talk."\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reiser/in-the-history-of-life-no-good-news-has-followed-that-sentence-we/) [Paul Reiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reiser/) > [The public image of dinosaurs is tainted by extinction. It's hard to accept dinosaurs as a success when they are all dead. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-bakker/the-public-image-of-dinosaurs-is-tainted-by-extinction-it-s-hard-to/) [Robert T. Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-bakker/) > [The coming week in The Hague may prove to be one of the most important in the three-and-a-half-billion year history of life on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-juniper/the-coming-week-in-the-hague-may-prove-to-be-one-of-the-most/) [Tony Juniper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-juniper/) > [The world can now maintain an acute infection in a way that is unprecedented in the history of life on our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-wolfe/the-world-can-now-maintain-an-acute-infection-in-a-way-that-is/) [Nathan Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-wolfe/) > [If we are still here to witness the destruction of our planet some five billion years or more hence, then we will have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/if-we-are-still-here-to-witness-the-destruction-of-our-planet-some/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Man did not address his inquiries to the earth on which he stood until a remarkably late stage in the development of his desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinrich-ralph-von-koenigswald/man-did-not-address-his-inquiries-to-the-earth-on-which-he-stood/) Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald > [In our struggle to understand the history of life, we must learn where to place the boundary between contingent and unpredictable events that occur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-our-struggle-to-understand-the-history-of-life-we-must-learn-where/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Life creeps slowly upward… When some forgotten inventor of the older world smote his rival or enemy with a branch of wood and found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/life-creeps-slowly-upward-when-some-forgotten-inventor-of-the-older/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Bought the Vegematic and Pocket Fisherman, too, illuminated illustrated history of Life, and Boxcar Willie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodman/bought-the-vegematic-and-pocket-fisherman-too-illuminated-illustrated/) [Steve Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodman/) > [History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-that-testifies-to-the-passing-of-time/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat the eleventh grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/those-who-don-t-remember-the-past-are-condemned-to-repeat-the/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) ## More by Santiago Ramon y Cajal > [Unfortunately, nature seems unaware of our intellectual need for convenience and unity, and very often takes delight in complication and diversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/unfortunately-nature-seems-unaware-of-our-intellectual-need-for/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [It is notorious that the desire to live increases as life itself shortens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/it-is-notorious-that-the-desire-to-live-increases-as-life-itself/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [That which enters the mind through reason can be corrected. That which is admitted through faith, hardly ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/that-which-enters-the-mind-through-reason-can-be-corrected-that-which/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [“consider the possibility that any man could, if he were so inclined, be the sculptor of his own brain, and that even the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/consider-the-possibility-that-any-man-could-if-he-were-so-inclined-be/) [Santiago Ramón y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [I would be the last to deny that the greatest scientific pioneers belonged to an aristocracy of the spirit and were exceptionally intelligent, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/i-would-be-the-last-to-deny-that-the-greatest-scientific-pioneers/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [The worst part is not in making a mistake but in trying to justify it, instead of using it as a heaven-sent warning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/the-worst-part-is-not-in-making-a-mistake-but-in-trying-to-justify-it/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [“It is fair to say that, in general, no problems have been exhausted; instead, men have been exhausted by the problems”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/it-is-fair-to-say-that-in-general-no-problems-have-been-exhausted/) [Santiago Ramón y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [The brain is a world consisting of a number of unexplored continents and great stretches of unknown territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/the-brain-is-a-world-consisting-of-a-number-of-unexplored-continents/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [As long as our brain is a mystery, the universe, the reflection of the structure of the brain will also be a mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/as-long-as-our-brain-is-a-mystery-the-universe-the-reflection-of-the/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [Physical pain is easily forgotten, but a moral chagrin lasts indefinitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/physical-pain-is-easily-forgotten-but-a-moral-chagrin-lasts/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [Intellectual beauty is sufficient unto itself, and only for it rather than for the future good of humanity does the scholar condemn himself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/intellectual-beauty-is-sufficient-unto-itself-and-only-for-it-rather/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [In adult centers the nerve paths are something fixed, ended, immutable. Everything may die, nothing may be regenerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/in-adult-centers-the-nerve-paths-are-something-fixed-ended-immutable/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [“The indescribable pleasure—which pales the rest of life's joys—is abundant compensation for the investigator who endures the painful and persevering analytical work that precedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/the-indescribable-pleasure-which-pales-the-rest-of-life-s-joys-is/) [Santiago Ramón y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [Buffon said unreservedly, "Genius is simply patience carried to the extreme." To those who asked how he achieved fame he replied: "By spending forty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/buffon-said-unreservedly-genius-is-simply-patience-carried-to-the/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [ In the study of this membrane \[the retina\] I for the first time felt my faith in Darwinism (hypothesis of natural selection) weakened, being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/in-the-study-of-this-membrane-the-retina-i-for-the-first-time-felt-my/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) [Explore all 37 Santiago Ramon y Cajal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the material course of thought and will, to discovering the intimate history of life in its perpetual duel with external forces.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Santiago Ramon y Cajal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascertaining-the-material-course/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascertaining-the-material-course/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/santiago-ramon-y-cajal-17256_brain_to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascer_1239167.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To know the brain...is equivalent to ascertaining the material course of thought and will, to discovering…” — Santiago Ramon y Cajal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Santiago Ramon y Cajal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To know the brain...is equivalent to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascertaining-the-material-course/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/to-know-the-brain-is-equivalent-to-ascertaining-the-material-course/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```